Ian Gordon Master’s Scholarship

History and purpose The Scholarship was established in 2021 using funding from the Ian Gordon Trust Fund. The Fund was established in 2003 by the late Emeritus Professor Ian Gordon by way of a gift to the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation to support study in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics and the English Language in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.

Professor Gordon graduated from the University of Edinburgh and taught there before being appointed to the Chair of English at Victoria University College, a position he held from 1936 to 1974. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of New Zealand from 1947 to 1952, Chair of the New Zealand Literary Fund from 1950 to 1974, and a Member of the University Grants Committee from 1961 to 1971, in addition to holding many academic and administrative posts. He was made a CBE and received several honorary doctorates.

As Professor of English at Victoria, Ian Gordon made a distinguished contribution to the study of English language and literature. He undertook much teaching, writing and broadcasting on the evolution of English, the writing of English prose, problems of usage and the teaching of English. He was known for his work on English prose style, Katherine Mansfield, and John Galt, and as a popular columnist for many years on the use of English. He edited dictionaries and encouraged the development at Victoria of a strong tradition of lexicography, which has continued through his students and through the establishment of the New Zealand Dictionary Centre. He was instrumental in the establishment of the English Language Institute in 1961 (now part of the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies), and he supported the introduction of the teaching of linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington from 1970, initially under the aegis of the Department of English, and later as a distinct discipline.

These scholarships are intended to support students undertaking a Master's degree by coursework in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics or TESOL at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. At least one scholarship will normally be targeted towards teachers returning to study.

The purpose of the award is to assist postgraduate (full-time or part-time) students in the study of a Master’s of Linguistics, Applied Linguistics or TESOL by coursework at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.

Selection Criteria:

• Applicants must be enrolled or intending to enrol, either full-time or part-time, in a Master's degree by coursework in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics or TESOL at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.
• Applicant will be assessed on the basis of academic merit.
• Relevant prior experience may also be taken into account.